Fall sometimes makes me want to feel renewed with all of the change that is taking place. My Daily Journal system consisted of setting up all of my layouts at the beginning of the notebook and then using the rest of the notebook for my daily pages, journaling, and notes for meetings. The main problem I kept running into was that I was spending all of this time creating the notebook I wanted, and then I only had about 75 pages or so to last for journaling and note-taking.

Does anyone else get nervous when their notebook runs out of pages?

I do. As someone who values a planner that doubles as a notebook, the Sterling Ink B6 Undated Common Planner has become a staple in my planning routine. I have always been a person that has been a fan of a few brands that have truly amazing products, but for this, I wanted to try something new. This includes also trying the Moterm B6+ Planner Cover.

Here's a closer look at what makes each of these products work for me.

Chic Sparrow is a leather goods company that started out making journal covers on Etsy and now creates various lines of journal covers, purses, and other journaling accessories. There are many notebook covers out there available at a wide range of prices. Their brand is definitely on the higher end, but my covers are absolutely beautiful. These covers are genuine leather that gets better over time as they age. They also offer second-chance sales and have a clearance section as well. You can find a cover that you love in the size that you want. The appeal of a journal cover is customization. Traditionally, traveler’s notebook covers feature strings where you can put inserts or small journals on each band. You can also add traditional journals or notebooks on the strings and change them out. The idea is to keep the cover consistent and have the ability to change out the inside. I have covers in sizes A5, Traveler’s Notebook, and B6. These covers fit my Archer & Olive notebooks perfectly, and they have held up well with everyday wear and tear. This post features all three sizes, but it will speak directly to the product of journal covers as a whole.

If you are journaling and not playing around with notebook sizes, I highly recommend trying different sizes out to see what fits your style! I recently have been working the most in B5 sizes (Roughly 7.48 × 9.84 inches). It is the largest notebook I have ever worked in because the typical notebook I grab for is an A5 (5.70 × 8.26 in), B6 (4.9 × 6.9 in), or traveler’s notebook size (4.33 x 8.25 inches). All three of these notebooks are smaller and can easily fit into a bag with the rest of your materials. I always thought B5 was too big, but what I am finding out is that I stick around longer in a B5 notebook and it fits just fine in a bag or tote. This post explores two of my favorites: The B5 Archer and Olive Notebook and the B5 Dingbats Notebook. I will give you insights into their similarities and differences including paper quality, size, feel, and durability. You can’t go wrong with either notebook-it all depends on personal preference!

I recently found my way back to a Leuchtturm journal after bouncing around a few different brands and types of notebooks for a while. I even stopped a journal completely during my family’s recent cross-country move because I needed to focus on planning and to-do lists in my planner. However, it was time to move back into a notebook. As soon as I received my Leuchtturm in the mail, I remembered why I loved these notebooks for so long. When I first started bullet journaling in 2017, I was drawn to these notebooks because everyone said these were the “holy grail” bullet journaling notebooks. After years of poking around journals and trying to understand some of the lingo, I get the positives and some drawbacks of this style of notebook. This post is a review of the A5 notebook from Leuchtturm1917. It is set up in a Q&A format, and then you can take a peek at some of my Leuchtturm journals from over the years.

I first tried a traveler’s notebook system in the fall of 2020, and this is how I stumbled upon the narrow size or traveler’s notebook size of roughly 4.5 x 8.25”. I grabbed the traditional Midori style notebook that had elastic bands on the inside to try out the system. I loved experimenting with inserts and different sizes of notebooks, but I was hoping to still get the same notebook feeling that I get with my other bullet journals. I liked the idea of life in one notebook. After searching high and low for a traveler’s size actual notebook (not an insert), I came across the Archer & Olive company and their traveler’s size notebook. Since finding this size notebook, I now have purchased 3 of these so far. This is by far my favorite size notebook. Why? I love the size of this. It is easy to carry, and it still lays flat when I am trying to write for a larger amount of time. The only reason why it does not become my main notebook is that I need to use my planner to feel organized. This post is a complete review of the Archer & Oliver Traveler’s Size Notebook.

I first started using the Passion Planner system in 2017, but abandoned it when I discovered bullet journaling and creating my own layouts. With bullet journaling, I loved the freedom of a blank page, and I had the time and energy to create layouts and spreads that worked for me. Fast forward to the recent process of pregnancy and motherhood, and everything got busy. I really felt like I could benefit from the focus that comes from using the Passion Planning system and planners not only because I didn’t have as much time to create layouts, but I also wanted to refocus on the dreams and goals I had before pregnancy and motherhood. Passion Planners have now turned into the ultimate tool when it comes to planning, goal-setting, and also tracking my schedule and baby’s schedule.

It started with virtual teaching in the fall of 2020 when I had to take things day-by-day. I started the 2020-2021 school year almost 5 months pregnant, and I was facing a crazy year of teaching without being in front of kids. I literally took things in the transition to that school year day-by-day. I loved the Daily Passion Planner because it was undated, and I could really focus on a few months at a time. In comparison, I tried the Weekly Academic Passion Planner for the 2021-2022 back-to-school year season because it gave me a chance to plan out my year as a new mom. This post goes into detail about my experiences in two Passion Planners, why I chose the new Passion Planner I did, and what I love and don’t love about each planner. I talk sizes, layouts, and different spreads that are included and what works for me now.